


Happy Holidays, Love The Bransons

by downtonarry



Series: A Downton Christmas [1]
Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, F/M, M/M, S/T Christmas Exchange 2015
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-25
Updated: 2015-12-25
Packaged: 2018-05-09 04:29:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5525417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/downtonarry/pseuds/downtonarry
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Here is my fic for the S/T Christmas Fic Exchange. I was margodevalois' Secret Santa this year, and I sure hope you like it (sorry for the less than inspired title). </p><p>Her prompt was something fluffy surrounding the winter season with the Branson's, with Thomas and maybe Edith included! I had a lot of fun writing it !</p>
            </blockquote>





	Happy Holidays, Love The Bransons

**Author's Note:**

> Hello margodevalois! I was full of so many ideas, but had to whittle it down, so hopefully I've chosen some scenes that you like! 
> 
> As for Edith's partner, I too preferred the thought of her with a woman, but didn't really know who-- when I watched season 6, however (which I'm not sure if you've seen or not), I was taken with her new editor Laura and the friendship they shared. Thus, I hope you are alright with my choice for her. :)

“We’re going to be late, my love, for your own Christmas party.” 

“I know, I know, I’m almost ready, hold on,” Sybil tried to make the clasp on her necklace open, but it was feeling stiff. “Tom, can you please do this up?”

Tom came over, his tie askew, and tried to put it on. “I think my fingers are clumsier than yours. There, I think I’ve got it, now come on, we’ve got to get Saoirse and Rory off to your sister’s, are their bags completely ready to go?”

“Yes, yes, they’re excited, as always. Sleepovers are their favourite, they love their cousins.” Sybil straightened her dress. “Come here, that tie of yours. I know you hate the things.”

“I feel like a right prat in them. I always feel a bit like a dunce husband at any of these events, while you’re all talking medicine and I’m watching to see if any more of those little canape things come out. Thomas always likes to talk big and domineer the conversation, anyway.”

“We’ll keep you included. And don’t you think that, just because you’re not partial to medicine doesn’t mean your field doesn’t take a lot of skill.” Sybil always wished Tom would be more proud of his career. He was an excellent journalist and she was infinitely proud of how much effort he put into it, even if it meant he had to travel to assorted places around the world at times. He had tried to scale that back now that they had a family, but he still found himself flung halfway across the globe now and then.

“Anyway, don’t pretend you don’t like to talk big just as much as Th—...” 

Tom had already wandered out of the bedroom, soothed by her promise. She could hear him in the hall making the children hyper. Edith and Laura probably weren’t going to be too pleased about that, but they were probably going to spoil them rotten with sugar anyway. She had mentioned they were going to try a homemade caramel apple recipe with the little ones, which Sybil imagined could only end in a sticky mess for all, but it would be a fun mess. 

“Alright, I’m ready. Tom, come on, let’s get them into carseats.”

~

“I’m hoping we do get the grant, Cardio really has been dying for a new ultrasound.”

“So many things these days that need fixing."

Sybil turned her head away from the conversation without trying to look rude. Tom was milling over by the food again. She rather wished she was out of the conversation herself, it was dull and she wished her co-workers would leave work things at work, rather than talk about them all night long at what was supposed to be a fun event. 

It was admittedly a bit difficult listening to all the doctors and administrators prattle on and look down on her, even a little, as she was a nurse. Sybil loved nursing, and had decided at the moment to stay in the position rather than go through more schooling. She wandered off to go find Tom, who looked a bit irritated. 

“I know, I know, you’re not being included but I’m hardly not either.”

“I think we would have had a better evening over at your sister’s, making apples.”

“You’re right. You’ve yet to meet Thomas’ new boyfriend though, he doesn’t know a thing about medicine, we’ll go find them.”

Tom made a bit of a production of sighing about this but dutifully followed Sybil. He was always like this about Thomas, even though they could get on and talk well enough about cars and football if they really wanted to. 

“Make sure he doesn’t go off about his surgeries either.”

“I’ll distract him, alright? He probably won’t, his boyfriend is going to be very out of sorts if he does that all evening.”

Thomas noticed them approaching and waved lovingly. He was a bit of a stony fellow and didn’t get on with a lot of the other doctors, but Sybil was definitely his favourite nurse, and he turned to her most frequently for surgeries. They’d developed a strong friendship, but then, Sybil knew all the best tricks on how to win people over. 

“Thomas, enjoying yourself? Tom, this is Edward.” Edward smiled, taking another sip of his eggnog. He was very quiet, which was good for someone like Thomas who liked quiet things himself. He tended to get himself wound up in very intense men, so this was a good change. Sybil wondered if Edward was shy because he was blind and didn’t like to have it noticed as much as possible, or if he was just a calm soul.

“Reckon we should spice this party up and make that eggnog a little more Irish.” Tom poured himself a mug, laughing at his own joke.

“Don’t get them going, I don’t want to see what a doctor’s party trick might be.” Edward smiled in Tom’s direction. “Or maybe they’ll just get silly and start blowing up latex gloves like balloons.”

Sybil hated to admit that that was probably true. “What are your Christmas plans, Thomas?”

“We’re going up to Edward’s parents’ place, in three days. I know it seems early for me to meet parents and all that, but we thought it would be nice. Edward always goes home.”

“Sounds lovely. We’re going up to my family’s, of course, although next year we’re hoping to go down to Ireland. Give the children something to remember.” Sybil wished they were going this year. Tom assured her next year would be better, the kids being even a little bit older so they could appreciate the trip better. He was probably right, but she sometimes wished they could visit his hometown more often.

“Let me know what your plans in the next few days are, we’ll come visit before you leave. Tell Saoirse that Uncle Thomas will bring his kit and give her a fake splint for the afternoon.”

“Nothing that’s too difficult to take off before bed. Sounds good, Thomas.”

~

Tom smiled as Sybil carefully held up Rory’s tiny hands and skated with him slowly over across to the far edge of the skating rink. It had been a hectic few days of trying to scramble through Christmas parties and brunches and shopping, and even though they should probably go home and wrap things, or do anything more productive, going for an evening of skating just seemed altogether more appealing. He’d slightly hoped that all the family could come along, as they’d all been invited, but Matthew’s Christmas party over at his firm was tonight. They had little George along, skating in Aunty Edith’s hands while Saoirse tried to forge ahead on her own just a few paces ahead, Aunty Laura going very slow with little Marigold further away. Saoirse was a headstrong girl, just like her mother. It seemed she was going to be good at skating too, going slowly but not falling once. 

“Not a skater, Tom?”

Tom looked up. It was Thomas, Edward quietly holding his hand a step behind him. 

“No, no. Trying to work up the nerve for it, but I reckon I’ll make a fool of myself. I didn’t know you were coming.”

“We weren’t going to, but we thought we’d come later, take your family and your sister-in-laws’ family out for a treat. We’re not skaters either.”

“So you understand.”

“I used to like skating,” Edward rested his chin on Thomas’ shoulder. “I don’t go anymore.”

“You should go with Thomas, then, you’ll certainly be better than him.”

“Then you have to go too, go and help Sybil out there with the kids.”

Thomas had a point. They poked at each other at times and Thomas could get on his nerves, but Tom did realize how similar they could be to each other. Sybil liked to tease Tom about it, how passionate about their causes they could be and how stubborn they often were, and Tom always balked at it, but she was right. 

“Alright, alright, I’m going.” Tom went and paid for skate rentals. He liked to stay fit, but sports that needed coordination always seemed to escape him. He thought back to a few years earlier, when he promised he’d play in a charity cricket match his father-in-law put on. It had been catastrophic and he hadn’t been invited to play back since. He was too wobbly on skates, as bad as his toddler son. Sybil and Edith had both probably gotten lessons as a child, as they both looked at ease.

“Papa!” Saoirse’s face lit up when Tom stepped unsurely onto the ice, clinging to the edge of the guard around the rink. “Are you going to come skate with us?”

“Going to give it a shot, darling. Here, here, take my hand. I was watching you go, you’re a firecracker out there.”

Sybil had skated up to the two of them, gliding with Rory holding onto both her hands. “You’ve decided to come play along. Oh, Thomas is here, I didn’t think he wanted to come.”

“Let’s go say hi in a bit, I’m going to need all the help I can get. I think I’m in a bit of a competition to see if me or Uncle Thomas is worse at skating, but we’re going to give it a go.”

“You can’t be bad at it, papa, you’re good at everything.”

Tom felt very touched at Saoirse’s comment, and a bit sad that one day he’d let her down on being perfect, but that was certainly the better motivation he needed to be better than Thomas. He was mincing around the edge of the rink with Edward, who looked substantially in more control than Thomas even without sight. 

“Take my hand, darling, I’m going to topple right over.”

Sybil laughed and took hold of his hand, moving Rory over to her other hand. 

“Did you want to take Papa’s other hand, Saoirse?” Tom offered his hand, although he knew she’d just want to skate on her own, or maybe with George. He was right and she shook her head.

“No, Papa, I want to have a race with George.”

“You be safe, love. Go ask Aunty if she’ll referee for you.” Sybil frowned a bit. 

“She’s going to have to get a few bumps and scrapes, and she’s got her helmet on.” Tom waved Edith over.

“You’ve finally convinced him out onto the ice, hm, dear sister?” 

“It was his competitive streak, really. He needs to learn to be better than Thomas by the end of the night. But Saoirse here wants to strike up her own competition with George, can you help manage a race between the two of them?”

“I’m afraid I haven’t been such a good skating influence on George, but if he’d like.”

“Yeah, want to play with Saoirse.” 

“Alright, darlings, I’ll see what I can do.”

“Wanna, wanna go play.” Rory looked like he was going to burst into tears.

Tom ruffled Rory’s head. At just over two, he was the smallest of the cousins and didn’t like feeling left out when his big sister and cousin liked to play. Marigold was a year older than him but they tended to get thrust together the most “In a year or two, you have to help Papa learn how to skate better. Why don’t we bring Marigold over, and you can play with her, alright lad?”

“That’s a good idea, Laura and Edith can referee together.” Sybil gently weaved Tom and Rory gently through the other skaters over to Laura. “If you can spare lovely Marigold, you can go spend some time with Edith and we’ll keep the wee ones entertained.”

“I think I count as one of those wee ones right now.” Tom laughed. He liked Laura. She was an editor and they had a lot in common. They knew the ins and outs of the business pretty well and had actually met before Edith had met her and become so taken with her. 

“I reckon you might. Just going over to mum, alright, darling?”

Marigold looked a little less than enthusiastic, but she was certainly a reserved child. She came and dutifully took Rory’s hand anyway, which soothed him at least somewhat.

“It makes me so happy, seeing both my sisters finally in a place of proper happiness. I felt so spoiled, finding you so soon in my life.” Sybil waited until Tom took Marigold’s hand, sandwiching the two little ones between then, then started their chain moving again. It wasn’t so bad now, once they were gliding along. Thomas still wouldn’t come off the bar, and Edward was being too patient with him, holding onto his arm and moving along with him. Tom had a chance of being better.

“I literally felt like the happiest man in the whole world when you gave me our first kiss. I still feel like the luckiest man in the world, so I hope Laura and Matthew feel those things about your sisters. I think they do, though, and they should.”

Sybil grinned at Tom. The loveliest grin ever, except maybe ones that came from Rory and Saoirse.

“Come on, then, dear, let’s try and see if you can beat Thomas.”

“I’ll do my best.” Tom hesitantly let go of Marigold’s hand, feeling immediately more wobbly and foolish for relying on a toddler for balance. Saoirse was doing her best to beat George but he was proving to be a greater adversary than Tom had expected. It was embarrassing seeing all these children do better than him, so he tried to straighten up.

“Barrow! Stop holding onto the edge and come prove you can skate!”

“Come on now, at least I’m on the ice, now, aren’t I?”

Edward laughed a little bit. “We’re going to stick to each other for this whole event.”

“He’s holding you back, Ed, I’m telling you.” Tom tried to pick up the pace, but before he knew it, he was careening onto the ice, landing flat on his bottom with his legs in the air.

Sybil put her hand up to her mouth, trying hard not to laugh out loud. Saoirse and George had paused their race and were laughing, skating forward to try and help him up.

“I’m alright, love, I’m alright.” Tom struggled to get back up on his feet, his skate sliding out from underneath him, causing him to land back on his rear. 

“Are you sure, Papa?” Saoirse and George laughed again, as Sybil glided over with Marigold and Rory. 

“I think you should hold onto me for the rest of the evening. I think Thomas has the right idea sticking with Edward.”

~

“You get to pick one thing, alright, tell Uncle Thomas and he’ll tell the woman at the register.”

“I don’t know, Mama, I don’t know.” Saoirse looked fretful, staring at the display of sweets. There were a lot for a little one to choose from, and Sybil well-remembered feeling overwhelmed at trying to choose a pudding in her youth. 

“The children are welcome to have some cocoa with it too, whatever they want, unless you’re concerned about their sugar intake.”

“I usually am. I always give up a little bit around the holidays, though, despite my efforts. Alright, you can get cocoa too, does that help you sort yourself out any more, Saoirse?” Sybil crouched to peer at the display with her. “You like biscuits.”

“We have biscuits at home that we made with Aunties.”

“That’s true. I said we’d make those icebox ones I was looking at as well tomorrow, didn’t I? What about a profiterole?”

That looked very tempting to her. Saoirse nodded.

“Go tell Uncle Thomas, and tell him Rory wants a chocolate chip cookie and a cup of milk.” She’d made the choice for Rory, knowing he was probably not at the point of wanting to be adventurous with his eating endeavours. He wouldn’t be having any cocoa either, far too little to understand he needed to blow on it to cool it down and drink slowly. 

“Oh, they do have some good ones that look like they have a spot of liqueur in them, might be just what I need to sooth my frazzled nerves from that skating.”

“Oh, heavens, you took one fall.” Sybil smiled at Tom’s melodrama. “You had a nice time.”

Thomas laughed a bit as he waited at the till for everyone to finish making their choice. “I don’t handle my liquor all too well, I’ll leave off tonight, although I’m with you, Tom.”

“That’s a sentence I never thought I’d hear the two of you say.” Sybil smirked a bit. She knew they liked each other better than they were willing to admit.

“Marigold quite likes her ice cream, if they have some vanilla ice cream we can just get her a cup of that. What do you say, darling?” Laura bobbed Marigold up and down a bit in her arms. 

“And what about Captain George, then?” Thomas picked George up and swung him about a bit. “Pick something grand, you only get one.” 

George thought intensely for a moment. “I like cake.”

“Just like your father, good heavens. Alright, cake it is. This one has jam in the middle. Down you go now, go sit with your cousins in that big booth there, see where Edward there is sitting? I’ll be back with trays full of treats before you know it.”

Sybil wandered over with Rory to the table Edward was parked at, feeling very mellow. In a few days it would be Christmas Eve, and then Christmas, and it would all be absolute chaos. It was so nice to just rest with most of her favourite people, although she wished Mary and Matthew could have made it, and maybe her other best friend, Gwen. That would be truly perfect.

“Mama,” Rory looked very serious. “Where Papa?”

“He’s coming, darling, he’s just going to help bring back the trays of sweets.” 

Everyone was slowly starting to drift over to the booth, Edith squeezing in next to Edward with Marigold.

“It’s your own husband slowing up the works now, I’ll have you know, Sybil. He’s having absolutely the worst time choosing his own sweet and drink.”

Sybil only grew fonder at the thought, even as she laughed. She loved when Tom was impetuous and childlike at times. He’d probably choose the least popular item on the menu just because it looked interesting then regret his choice later and pretend not to. George and Saoirse were still milling around, looking at all the rest of the treats in the case, refusing to take their noses away from the glass until Thomas had all of the rest of the snacks and cocoas. They both begged to carry their own cocoas back as soon as they arrived, as Tom lectured them gently to make sure to hold it with both hands and not to burn their tongues by taking a sip too quickly. 

“They’re both such bright and mischievous children, aren’t they?” Edith leaned in closer to Sybil. “Marigold is so much more reserved. Maybe they’ll bring her more out of her shell.”

“I think it takes all sorts to make the world go round, quiet children too. Believe me, you and Laura should be glad Marigold is so well-behaved.” Sybil laughed a bit. Edith had been the last to have a child, but she doted on her so carefully. 

George already had a ring of whipped cream all around his mouth, and on his nose. Saoirse was licking at hers more daintily, and brought it over to the table. 

“Rory, did you want some whip cream? Mama, I’ll share mine with Rory, alright?”

“That’s very generous of you, Saoirse, I’m sure Rory would like that.” Sybil felt so proud of her children already. 

“Did Marigold get cocoa? She can have some of mine too.” 

“Marigold is going to have a little bit of mum’s, but thank you, darling.” Edith smiled fondly at her niece. 

“How did we get so lucky with this bunch?”

George looked up at this. “I don’t want to give up my cream.”

Sybil couldn’t help but laugh. 

~

“IT’S CHRISTMAS, CHRISTMAS, CHRISTMAS!” Saoirse and Rory were thumping up and down on the bed, breaking Tom and Sybil out of their slumber. 

“Merry Christmas, darlings, one minute, one minute.” Tom sat up and rubbed his hand through his hair. Sybil was slowly sitting up as well, and Tom felt bad that she’d gotten so little sleep. She had insisted she would finish up the wrapping and any other last-minute things, and Tom had felt her come into the bedroom at nearly four in the morning.

“We promise we’ll be up in a few, can you give Mama and Papa just even fifteen minutes, loves?” 

Saoirse looked very serious. “Fifteen, Papa, I want to see what’s in our stockings. Rory tells me that he wants to see if Santa ate the biscuits too, that we put out for him.” Saoirse seemed to have a secret language with Rory, understanding his haphazard toddler speak on a different level. 

“Fifteen, I promise.”

The children ran out of the room, Rory almost taking a fall in but shrugging it off in his glee. Sybil rolled onto her side to hold onto Tom, taking out her sleep bun and letting her dark locks fall down her shoulders. 

“What time is it, love?”

“They waited until 7:30 this year, I’m very impressed.” Tom snuggled in and gave Sybil a kiss.

“I am too. Lord, remember when she was just a baby and didn’t wander about the house all on her own? Now she can let Rory out.”

“Those were the days.” Tom stifled a yawn. 

“Tom?”

“Yes, darling?”

“I had a bit of a Christmas present that I wanted to give you now.”

“We’re down to about twelve minutes, I’m not so sure.”

“Not that.” Sybil reached out and gave Tom a gentle whack on the arm. “Something else. Here, one second.” Sybil slipped out of bed and peered into her side of the closet, before fishing out a small box from one of her shoe cubbies. It was a bit oblong, like the shape of a bracelet box, which was strange. Neither of them were much for getting jewelry for each other.

“Here, that’s for you. The kids, they’ll get something like it soon.”

“Now, you’ve really piqued my interested.” Tom sat up properly and took the box. Sybil had a very slight anxious expression, like maybe the gift wouldn’t go over well. An engraved bracelet or something would be odd from her, but nice, so he didn’t know what the problem could possibly be with it. He undid the ribbon and went to open the box, pausing for a moment.

“You alright, dear? I’m sure it’s wonderful.”

“I think you’ll think so too."

Tom finished taking off the lid, and looked inside. It was a pregnancy test, with the two little lines in plain sight. He felt like the air had been knocked out of him, he was so breathless with joy and emotion.

“I’ve washed it but if you’re funny about it just leave it in the box.” Sybil seemed to be trying to fill the quiet of the room. 

“Sybil, darling.” Tom felt tears coming to his eyes. A third baby, like they’d always talked about. “When did you find out?”

“About a week or two. I started to notice a few of the things I noticed with Saoirse and Rory. Are you...happy about it?”  
“Oh, god, god, Sybil, darling, I’m elated.” Tom put the box down and pulled her into a close hug. “I’m genuinely so happy. I love you so much.”  
“I love you too. I hoped you would be. I took two tests just to be very sure.” Sybil buried her face into Tom’s shoulder. “I want to tell the children soon, but I wanted something like a first ultrasound to dress up.”

“Of course, of course.” Tom wiped his eyes a bit. “I’m not sure a Christmas gift could ever top that, truly. But I think our time is nearly up, we’d better go fetch the little ones before we get in big trouble.”

They’d hardly started walking out of the bedroom before Saoirse and Rory were barrelling out of their room again. “Now, now, now? We get to see what Santa brought?”

“Do you remember how to say Santa in Irish, darling?” Tom followed them into the lounge. 

“No.” Saoirse rushed over to her stocking.

“I’ll put on the kettle, alright? The kids can get started on their stockings.” 

“I’ve got them covered.” Sybil sat on the floor with the little ones. Rory was finally old enough to really appreciate Christmas for the first time. And enjoy it he was, tearing apart his stocking before Saoirse was barely through the first handful of things in it. Tom watched them in awe from the kitchen. Next year there would be another one, another wonderful little addition to their family, and nothing made him gladder in the world.


End file.
